Adding File Types to RecoverMyFiles

[daveysaxt]

Hi There,

A problem I have is that I had A LOT of customized Flight Simulator GAU Files on a volume that got wrecked. RecoverMyFiles has now been running for 13 Hours on the volume (using the most detailed scan settings), but the problem is that GAU is not in the predefined list of file types. I believe they look like executable modules with bitmaps embedded in the executable code text.

Is there any way to tell RecoverMyFiles about 'custom' (with respect to those already known in the app) file types by defining a template or something like that ? If not is there a chance that any upcoming release will include such a feature - especially as new file types are invented frequently by developers. Being a developer myself, that would be really helpful to me.

If not, would GetData consider adding such a feature ? It would only have to be a simple editor that lets you add a list of rules using say an offset, length and contents field - maybe allowing several rules per new filetype. Or even just a text file with the rules in.



Suggestions ?

Cheers,

Dave

[GDH]

Hi Dave,

In the current version of Recover My Files, 3.98, the success of the program relies a lot on the user selecting the right type of search for their situation. In the current version, there is basically three ways to recover a file:

1. Look for the partition and rebuild the partition using the Master File Table (in Recover My Files this is a Fast Format Recover - an all file types will be found).;

2. If a valid partition is not found, look for individual Master File Table records (MFT records) for each file on the disk (In Recover My Files this is a "Complete Format Recover - and all file types will be found).

3. I the partition or MFT records cannot be located, search for the file by the unique structure of the file (In Recover My Files this is a Complete File Search - this is a search for the file types in the Recover My Files list). Currently this requires us to reverse engineer a file type and add it to the software.

In your situation, exactly how was the data lost?

In the next major version release, Version 4, due out later this year, we have worked hard on making the program intelligent enough to figure out the best type of recovery to use so that the user does not have to make this difficult choice.

We have also considered adding in a customer file type, where it will be possible to enter a file header and any other structural details and search for that data. This may not be in the first release, but should be a feature by mid 2009.